East Putford can be understood through a range of very different themes: Common Moor is home to a rare type of wet heathland, while fishponds, burial mounds and historic buildings add cultural and historical interest. Those looking for a holiday rental can choose where to stay according to their interests—whether nature, archaeological sites or architectural history.
Common Moor and its rare wet heathland
Common Moor in East Putford is one of the few remaining examples of a type of wet heathland found only in North Devon and Pembrokeshire. Its restricted regional distribution helps explain what makes this habitat special; Common Moor is also home to a diverse invertebrate fauna. Two different scales are therefore relevant: the limited range of this type of wet heathland and the diversity of invertebrates at this particular site. For visitors interested in nature, East Putford offers a clearly defined focus.
The fishponds near Winslade
The three fishponds near Winslade are well preserved and relatively rare in Devon. Their state of preservation and regional rarity are two distinct points of reference: the former concerns the surviving site, while the latter describes its place in comparison with other sites in Devon. As earthworks, each pond is rectangular and encloses a central island. The northernmost pond is 42 m long, 31.5 m wide and 0.6 m deep. This distinguishes the features shared by the group from the measurements of an individual pond: the shape applies to all three ponds, while the specific measurements are for the northernmost one.
Bowl barrows and ridge
Three bowl barrows lie northwest of Venn Cottages and form part of a well-preserved, extensive round barrow cemetery. They stand on a high ridge overlooking the valley of a tributary of the River Torridge. Both the individual barrows and their connection to the larger cemetery are important to understanding the site. The elevated position adds a landscape context to this archaeological setting: the monument lies on the ridge above the river valley.
Tollhouse and farms
Powler’s Piece Tollhouse is a small, single-storey tollhouse on the north side of a minor road, shortly before the junction at Powler’s Piece. Its building type, size and precise location along the road distinguish this example from the archaeological sites. Mambury is a farmhouse dating from the 17th century. Raleigh was probably the original farmstead of East Putford. These two names highlight different historical aspects: Mambury can be assigned to a specific century, while the statement about Raleigh’s role as the original farmstead is explicitly qualified as probable. This distinction helps separate a building’s date from a more cautiously worded claim about local history.
When looking for a holiday rental in East Putford, it helps to decide what you are most interested in: should your stay focus mainly on the landscape and nature, or on archaeological sites and architectural history?
Discover more destinations: Salcombe, Ivybridge, Sampford Spiney, Axminster, Tavistock, Chulmleigh, Dunsford, Abbotsham.
For the wider travel overview: Devon.
